A Softer World
by Sweet Jelly Hearts
Summary: A very small collection of drabbles/oneshots based on the inspirational "A Softer World" comics. Characters will vary.
1. Fire Ants

_"The best revenge is living well._

_The second-best revenge is fire ants."_

_- A Softer World_

"Are you sure about this, Artie?"

"Absolutely," Arthur answered Alfred as he kicked the pile of dirt that concealed a thriving colony of fire ants. "Pass me the jar."

Alfred obeyed and handed the jar (the lip of which was slicked with oil so that the ants wouldn't be able to escape once they crawled in) to Arthur. Arthur sat it in the very middle of the swarming ants and watched as they attacked the glass intrusion, becoming trapped in the process. "I know that Francis was being a jerk, but does he really deserve this?"

"Of course he does. He wasn't just being a 'jerk'; you saw what he did to me. Completely humiliating. And in front of the whole school, too!" Arthur huffed and crossed his arms. The ants were starting to calm down and rebuild, but there were still dozens stuck in the jar. Those would be used for the revenge. "He deserves every single burning sting from these creatures from hell. I hope they get his stupid face..."

Alfred scrunched his mouth to the side but didn't argue. He wondered for a moment if Francis was allergic to fire ant stings, but figured they would find out in a little while. Still, he didn't like what he was doing.

"You know," Alfred said, "my grandma always told me that the best revenge is living a good life. You could show Francis that he doesn't bother you and be happy just to spite him."

Arthur screwed the lid back on the jar and shook off the extra ants. "I've heard that, too, and I think it's not quite accurate. At least, it doesn't tell the whole story."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes. 'The best revenge is living a good life,'" Arthur quoted before grinning deviously. "But the second-best revenge is fire ants."

* * *

_A/N: Uh-oh. Francis told the school about Arthur's love for a certain pony-themed television show. __Good guy Alfred is trying to save Francis's face._

_I've been reading a lot of A Softer World comics, and there are so many inspiring quotes for fanfiction (and writing in general). I plan on doing several of these. The ratings, lengths, main characters, and genres will vary._

_~Jel_


	2. Balloon

_"It was a sweet day when I realized legal and illegal have nothing to do with right and wrong."_

_-A Softer World_

_Warning: PruCan_

Matthew hated it when Gilbert pulled away and reached for the rosary on his bedside table. He hated the way he would curl up and clutch that cross like a lifeline, the way he shook and tensed up, the way he scooted as far onto his side of the bed as possible. He hated it when Gilbert shivered and flinched in fear whenever Matthew tried to touch his bare back. He wanted to comfort him—he wanted to tell Gilbert not to be afraid of something he couldn't see, but that was only asking for trouble.

It hurt.

In the dark hours of morning after making love, there was no pillow talk. No sweet whispered nothings. No hugging, no kissing, no falling asleep in each other's arms. The only sounds coming from Gilbert during those times were the soft mumblings of begging for forgiveness and sacred prayers and—on very rare occasions—quiet crying.

It hurt so much.

Matthew couldn't understand how something so _right_ could be seen as wrong in Gilbert's eyes. Not just in Gilbert's eyes, but an entire community of people thought what they felt for each other was an abomination. No matter how many _I love you_s passed his lips, no matter how many kisses they exchanged, it always came to this end when they went further.

It hurt so, so much, and Matthew wanted it to stop, but what could he do?

Nothing. He could do nothing but wait for the day when Gilbert realized that rules do not separate right and wrong, and that no matter what everyone said, there was love and trust and beauty in what they did together.

He just had to wait, but Matthew didn't know if he could wait any longer.

* * *

_A/N: A bit of a controversial chapter straight off. I apologize if I've managed to offend anyone._

_~Jel_


	3. Continuum

"_Sometimes in a crowded mall I realize that everyone has a whole life of their own and it's like suddenly seeing infinity ignoring itself."_

_-A Softer World_

Sometimes Gilbert gets these strange moments where he becomes hyper-aware. He can suddenly hear every conversation going on around him; he can see into faces and try to figure out what people are thinking about; he can look up, look up, _look up_ at the way people look _down_ at a phone, or _down _at an iPod, or _down_ at the floor. Nobody makes eye contact—not for long—everyone too busy with their own lives. And at that moment, Gilbert has a first realization.

He realizes that everyone walking past him has a life all their own. Every human being has a skeleton inside them; a living, beating heart; swelling, breathing lungs; and a real, thinking brain. They have their own loves and hates and worries and schedules and memories and Gilbert will never know any of it.

He looks up and mentally begs everybody else to look up, too—to relish in this surreal self-awareness he's just experienced—but people are sheep. They live in bubbles and mind their own business. That's just the way things are. It's how people have been taught since birth—don't talk to strangers; commute but don't socialize; don't bother others unnecessarily; don't be different—and Gilbert falls from his surreal high. He has a second realization.

He realizes that they won't look up. They go on ignoring everything that should matter, too wrapped up in following what society and culture tells them. They mill along blissfully like lambs to slaughter. They refuse to be a part of each other—to scream out at the world "I EXIST AND SO DO YOU!"

When Gilbert has this second realization, he blends into the crowd. He shuts out everybody else. He remembers where he was going, looks down at the floor in front of him, and pretends the first realization never happened.

For a scary and brief moment, he feels like he is a part of infinity

* * *

_A/N: I really like this chapter. Just... wow._

_Look up the word "sonder" on Google. That and "gestalt" are my favorite words ever._

_~Jel_


End file.
